Anything To Save Her
by sQuAlLaNdRiNoA
Summary: Mostly from the game, but the characters lifes are different, and the events are different. Squall is a recovering hero who has a bad feeling he is being falsely praised, Rinoa is the next victim of the worlds worst evil, it will take their love plus the firendships of those old and new, and not to mention a little ass kicking to save the day!
1. Chapter 1

What's one girl, if the rest of the world is safe?

The Sorceress is the darkness over of this world, a supernatural being, and the most powerful on the earth good or evil. She is undefeated. But despite this the humans do not give up, for thousands of years the fight against the sorceress has waged on, and even knowing of her power still the brave are willing to continue the fight against her in hopes that their blood shed will get them one step closer to the end of her rein of terror.

Winhill

"Squall please don't give up on this family!" Ellone pleaded desperately. "I know mom is gone now, but that is why now more than ever you and I have to keep it together for dad."

Squall scoffed bitterly. "I'm tired of keeping it together for dad, we have done nothing but keep it together for dad this whole time... Hell mom had to keep it together for him and she's the one who spent the past five years dying when she was weak and there was no more medicine or magic that could he she stayed strong and held it together for him while he fell apart and did nothing for this family, and nothing for her. I don't care how broken his heart is, his weakness in the face of this tragedy is unforgivable, and as far as I'm concerned now that mom is gone he is no longer my father, no he hasn't been for five years now... He's spineless and weak and I want nothing further to do with him."

Ellone sighed. "How can you say that? Squall despite what you may feel or think now he is our father, and we are all each other has, please don't do this, don't walk out on what family you have left, because he is still our father, and I think." Squall stood suddenly startling his older sister.

"NO! Ellone no. He is not my family, you and only you are the only family I have left... He gave me no choice but to feel this

way making us be the caretakers to our dying mother!" Squall wanted to but he wouldn't allow it he ran his fingers through his long brow hair and choked back his bitter tears. "Ellone. He mumbled. I had to end her life, and with one flip of a switch..." He looked down at his hands and balled them into a fist. "These very hands flipped the switch and ended the life of the very woman who gave me my life." And then with that he picked up his bags and headed for the door. He put his hand on the knob and looked back at his heartbroken sister. "And for that I will NEVER forgive him."

She gave him another pleading look. Please. "The love of his life was dying before his very eyes, and he was... Is a broken man, and we should not punish him for the hurt that he feels."

Squalls frozen expression never changed. "No. But we are to be punished, and to be the only ones to go through the hardships of her being sick, and now of her dying, I'm done taking his bullets. She was my mother as well as his wife, and I would have liked to have had one moment to be able to feel what I was feeling too."

She truly felt awful for the toll this had taken on her younger brother, she could tell his hurt in his young face. "Then take the time to feel it now, its not to late to be heart broken about it. Take the time to feel whatever it is you are feeling."

Squall gave her a cold stare and shrugged. "I feel nothing, I haven't for awhile."

She looked up from his lips where it seemed as though nothing but venom spilled and met his eyes and found there something different in his bluish gray eyes. There was a sorrow in his eyes as great as there fathers, and it was there that she realized that he could indeed hurt just as deeply despite the front he put up for five whole years of unmeasurable pain. And it was there that she realized that her brother just might be more broken than her and her father put together. She inched forward . "So there's nothing I can say to get you to stay?" Squalls eyes went cold. "No. Nothing at all." And with that he turned opened the door and bolted away.

SIX YEARS LATER.

Head Master Cid's Office In Balamb Garden

"Squall Leonhart returning for duty, Sir." Saying that was the first bit of normalcy Squall had felt in weeks since his was nearly killed in the worlds biggest and long awaited victory, it was the death of the sorceress and binding of her power so it may never enter another unsuspecting victim again. "Ah, Squall I wasn't expecting you back for some time, those were some pretty serious injury you acquired." Squall sighed deeply. "Yes Sir, but I am fine now, the doctor said that I could return for active duty."

Squall noticed the quizzical eyebrow Cid was wearing as his eyes skimmed his chart, and he grew nervous in the pit of his stomach at the thought of not being able to immediately return to his duties. "Squall I see in the report that the doctor says you can return in six weeks and then you will still have to do your physical therapy before being cleared for active duty, and there is one more matter besides your physical state that I would like to discuss my boy." Squall shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other in pain, and the discomfort of knowing what was going to be said next. He uncomfortably cleared his throat." And what would that be Sir?" The headmaster hated to say something like this to someone like Squall Leonhart. "Well, uh, your mental state, you went through and did something nobody else has ever done, and in the process you almost died.

"Now I know you are a solemn type and I respect that, but at some point in time you will need to talk wither it be about this or something else, and I need to know you are ok and this wasn't what pushed you to the point, because you know we have wonderful on site psychologist." Squall shifted back in more even more physical pain and the discomfort that was being brought on by this conversation, and this time it wasn't unnoticed. "Would you like to sit down?" Squall stood upright at that. "No I am fine really physically and mentally, and all I would like is to get back to work."

He sighed at the half halfhearted response. "Squall it has only been two weeks since you killed the sorceress, and in the process you yourself almost died." Squall cut him off. "Sir, with all do respect I know I'm fine you don't have to listen to what some doctor says, I know when enough is enough and I'm fine." The Headmaster sighed, he hoped that Squall would admit the exhaustion written upon his face. "And that is the reason right there Squall why I'm giving you a leave of absence until further notice."

At that Squall almost lost his composer. "WHAT? WHY?" He slammed his hand down on the desk and with that realized he overstepped himself, he looked up from the desk and did not see anger, but disappointment. "Because Leonhart, you joined us here at the Garden when you were 17 and for the pass six years you have put everything you have into taking out the sorceress and restoring our world to peace, and things are finally starting to get better, that is your doing so I think you should get to go live for once and enjoy it, ok."

Squall sighed and as a force of habit ran his finger through his hair. "Thank you sir but no thank you, I am not interested in taking a leave of absence." The Headmaster changed his tone to more serious than concerned. "It wasn't a request Squall it was an order, and you will not disobey orders." The headmaster then dropped the harsh tone and smiled brightly. "Now you go and enjoy yourself, when you have properly healed, then gone through physical therapy and cleared you can return, but not a moment before."

Squall felt a great deal of disappointment, but knew there was no use in fighting against this decision. "Very well Sir I will go."

Cid walked around his desk and patted Squall on the sholder. "Now remember its not forever just some time to recuperate, and anyways you are the worlds hero, even if nobody will ever know, I know. And that is why you deserve a vacation. Squall turned and limped to the door. "Yes Sir." And with that Squall was once again leaving the only home he had known for a very long time.

THREE MONTH LATER

Balamb Hotel

Squall ignored his alarm clock and seriously debated spending the rest of yet another pointless day in bed, but he knew that he had to force himself into recovery if he was ever to return, it was a gut feeling that he had, a feeling that this wasn't over, and he needed to make sure that he really did rid the world of the sorceress. He got up and got ready grabbing his gym bag as he headed for the door, half way there he heard a familiar voice calling for him, he turned to see who it was, and once he did a twinge of annoyance ran through him as a short blonde with a goofy mile wide grin ran in the his direction.

"Yo Squall!" Zell called loudly drawing attention, and Squall could already tell that he wished he would have pretended he didn't hear him and kept walking. "Long time no see man, what have you been up to?" Squall sighed irritably and merely gave a faint wave. Zell grinned at his old acquaintances less than friendly greeting, and as usual didn't take it personally. "Ha same old chatter box Squall." Squall snarled at the sarcasm. "Same ole idiot Zell, I thought I got rid of you in basic training, six years really isn't long enough."

Zell dramatically put his hand over his heart and shot Squall a hurt look. "Ouch Squall what's wrong with you, you seem even more moody than you ever did in basic training, I figured even you would have cracked a smile after the defeat of the sorceress." Squall put his face in his hand. "I'm sorry, its not you, its just that during all of that I was seriously injured, and so it was suggested that I take an indefinite leave of absence." Zell scratched the back of his head. Oh that sucks man, "I'm sorry I know how much you wanted to move up in the Garden."

Squall shifted off his bad leg. "I still am, I'm just taking a break, so why are you here?" Zell cast his eyes to the side walk. "I'm here is because I'm out too, but I don't think I will be getting to go back for awhile though." Squall was interested in what would make Zell quit, because despite his less than aloof appearance Zell too wanted nothing more than to be a missionary for Garden just as Squall did, and it didn't seem like him to just quit. "Why what happened?" And then Squall noticed a seriousness that made its way to Zell's face.

"I was called in one day after being gone for a month, and my father had passed away from a heart attack, well anyways when I returned home to help my mother take care of all the arrangements I saw how difficult it was for her to take care of things by herself, ya know, her and my father ran the cafe together, he did all the repairs around the house himself, and I got to thinking that I cannot leave her on her own right now."

Squall soon felt bad for how much attitude he had given Zell, he knew how hard it was to lose people, and he wouldn't wish that on anyone. "I'm sorry to hear about your father, and that must have been a hard thing to do leave your life to help." Zell gave a sheepish grin. "No not really, I mean my mother and father adopted me, they gave me a better life and gave me a home with a more wonderful family than I could have ever wished for, and so there was no hesitation I knew what had to be done." Even though he would never admit it Squall was somewhat surprised. "That's actually really respectable of you Zell." Zell looked shocked at the comment that came from the tall brunet. "Ha! Yeah well I'm not a complete idiot all the time, I can be responsible from time to time!" Squall rolled his eyes. "I guess so." Zell chuckled. "That was the closest I ever heard you come to saying a nice thing." Squall scoffed and turned away headed for the gym. "Whatever." Zell shouted teasingly at him." Now there's the old Squall!"

Deling City

"I can't believe your mother talked me into coming all the way to Deling City with you just to get some flowers to decorate her cafe tables." Squall said in an irritated tone. "Ha! Well nobody can say no to Ma Dincht, besides she's trying to class the place up." Squall rolled his eyes as Zell nudged him only making Squalls mood more annoyed. "Whatever, she just didn't want her idiot son to get lost or in trouble." Zell stood up quickly causing everyone on the train to take notice. "That was just a ploy to get you out of town in hopes that new scenery would get you out of your head space."

Squall said noting he only sat quietly at the eyes that always seemed to be averted to his and Zell's attention every time they went somewhere together. They got off the train and headed to the nearest coffee shop. "So Squall is there anything you need or want to do since were already here?" Zell asked. "Um yeah, the library." Zell looked disappointed at the response in hopes his companion would suggest something better than the library, Zell hated libraries, he always got in trouble for being too loud or for knocking things over. He sighed an over dramatically. "We can head there before going to the flower shop."

They walked into the coffee shop and the moment they did a spunky small crazy haired brunet with wild green eyes stepped up to them with a pen and pad in hand. "Hey guys, May I take your order?" She said in an overly excited tone. "Black coffee thanks." Zell rolled his eyes, should have known he was just as dull of a coffee drinker as everything else. "And I'll have a caramel frappe, Please." She stopped writing, and looked back up to them with a smile. "It will be out in no time." Zell grinned. "Thank you, Selphie." She gave a surprised face to Zell. "How did you know my name?" Squall noticed Zell giving her a look that Squall usually gives him when he talks. "Your name tag." She squealed in embarrassment and then gave him a wink. "I always forget, well boys I'll be back with your drinks in a jiff, okie dokie!"

Zell chuckled and waved at the overly energetic young girl, and then looked back to Squall with more of a serious look. "Wow she makes me feel exhausted when I talk to her." Squall shot him an evil look. "Now you know how I feel when I've got to talk to you.." Close to causing another scene Zell laughed out loud. "Haha! Thanks a lot Squall." Just then the overly waitress bounced up to their table and handed them their orders. "So are you guys visiting Deling?" Zell looked a bit embarrassed at what he was about to say. "Yeah my mother sent us here to get a flower only the Deling City flower shop has." She smiled widely. "Wow that's a very nice thing to do for your mother, not something a lot of guys would do." Zell put his best flirting forth if you could really call it that. "Well guess I'm just different from other guys, better even." She giggled. "I guess so, and my best friend works there, and I'm sure she will be a great help to you guys."

"Not half as much help as you Selphie." She covered her blushing face. "Well I should get back to work, but have fun." Squall stood and headed for the door. "Yeah as you can see my friends ready to go." Selphie cocked her head to the side. "He's not really the social type is he?" Zell laughed deeply at that question. "Uh, that would be a big NO." She wave a big over the top wave and flashed him a cute and wild smile. "Well Nice meeting you, and good luck." She chirped. "You too Selphie."

Zell walked off after dropping another tip on the table not feeling right that Squall about only Squall leaving one, he walked out the cafe doors and him and Squall headed three blocks down to the library. "So Squall what do you need from the library?" He thought that was a stupid question. "A book." Squall said sarcastically. Zell shot him a dirty look. "Oh really smart ass, I meant what book are you looking for?" Squall almost felt like grinning at how easy it was to anger his short companion. "The history of the sorceress." Zell grew quiet for a moment. "Uh and why are you doing that, for once there is no need to worry about the sorceress, and you should take advantage more than anyone, especially after what you put into it to save the world."

Squall scoffed. "Yeah, real heroic" Zell sounded more serious than ever now. "Squall it was heroic, you did something nobody else was strong or brave enough to do, and you a a hero, at least I think so. Rolling his eye. "I am not a hero, and I'm pretty sure I'm a fraud." And now Zell was confused. "What do you mean?" Squall Quietly searched his mind. "I don't know, I was just so hurt, and the injuries were making it hard to know what was real." Zell now looked lost. "I'm not following you Squall, because she is dead, she's even frozen at the sorceress memorial." And so Squall sighed deeply and waited a moment before hesitantly answer the question and saying out loud what had been on his mind for some time. "I'm not sure its over."

Giving Squall a confused look he scratched the back of his head. "What do you mean man?" Zell asked but still very confused by this, and by the fact that him and Squall Leonhart were actually having a conversation. "Well I'm not so sure the sorceress is really dead is what I mean." Zell shot him a look as if to tell him he was losing it. "And why do you say that Squall?" Squall shamefully looked at his feet. "I feel it Zell, and I just know that I got the credit for something I didn't do really do."

"But Squall its been six months now, and in the past the sorceress had always taken over whatever human body she possessed by now." Zell asked now getting worried by the conversation. "Zell I'm not saying I didn't injure her more than she's been in the past, but I am saying I saw what I saw." "And what did you that Squall? Zell asked." Squall didn't really know how to explain his gut instinct. "After I killed her and after I binded her powers there was a moment." "What do you mean?" Zell asked nervously? "A gut feeling that it wasn't over and it didn't work, something felt off in that moment. And even though nothing has happened so far, I cannot shake that feeling." Squall looked up from the ground and his usual cold eyes now had a hint of worry in them.

"Squall its only natural to think its not over, I mean thousands of years of her being undefeated and causing nothing but death and pain, its only natural to feel its not over." Squall sighed. "Its not that Zell. I never felt her evil leave Zell, and I think that it will only be a matter of time before she resurfaces." They were walking into the library Squalls attention still turned to Zell and just as they did Squall collided with something small and soft, and he heard a thud on the floor followed by a quiet "ouch."

"I'm sorry." Squall said as he turning his attention from Zell and down to the floor where he was a little taken aback by a young raven haired girl looking up at him from dark chocolate eyes, and for a moment he felt a familiarity about her, like a gut feeling. Zell stepped in and interrupted his overly long gaze at the girl. "Hello, Squall?" Squall snapped out of his trans at Zell's voice calling his name repeatedly. "Uh, yeah what?" Zell chuckled at Squall's confusion. "Are you going to help the girl up?" Squall averted his attention back to the girl on the floor and out out his hand. "Of course I'm sorry." She sweetly waved it off. "Its ok not big a big deal, well I'm late for work, nice bumping into you." She said in a soft voice and reached for his hand, and when she did the familiar feeling came back to him and he never took his eyes away from her as she smiled and walked out of the library doors.

Zell laughed after they walked in and Squall looked over at him confused. "What?" Zell gave him a knowing look. "Squall I might not be the best with women, but you just gawking at her like an idiot was probably not any better." Rolling his eyes. "Whatever Zell, that's not why/ I was staring at her, she just looked familiar, but in a strange way." Zell gave a thumbs up. "Wow, She's familiar? Way to go Squall!" Squall tried to restrain himself from raising his voice at the blonde idiot before him, not wanting to get kick out of the library. "No! I've never met her, but it does feel as though I have." Looking at Squall with a mischievous face. "You sure you've never met her?" Squall blushed a little knowing what Zell was asking. "Nope, never."

Soon Squall dismissed the feeling and got the reading material he was looking for, and soon they were at the flower shop. "Look there's the flower, isn't it beautiful?" "Uh, yeah real nice, now lets go." In a hurry to get out of there. Zell laughed. "Guess that sounded lame." Squall smirked. "Yeah you keep saying things like that ans Seifer wont be the only one calling you chicken wuss from now on." Zells face turned red from anger at the thought of Seifer calling him that for as long as he could remember. "Don't you dare." Squall couldn't help but be amused.

"So Squall what do you think happened to the spirit of the sorceress if you didn't really kill her and bind her powers?" Squall unfortunately knew the answer to that question. "I think that what always happens happened, and that somewhere out there is an a young girl who is about to become the worlds enemy." Zell sighed. "I wish we knew who it was so we could save this one, unlike all those other innocent girls who's bodies were taken over, and souls eventually destroyed." Squall felt a twinge of guilt. "And that right there is why I want to get back to duty, why I never wanted to leave, and in the mean time am going to find out as much as I can so that way when the time comes around next time I can stop it once and for all by killing her and truly binding the powers."

"I only wish that she didn't have to be killed, I wish there was a way to forever be rid of the sorceress, and at the same time not take the girls life." Zell said. Squall scoffed. "Yeah, I don't want to kill another girl who did nothing wrong other than being chosen for a horrible reason, but what is one girl if the rest of the world is safe?" Zell sighed. "I guess you're right. But its not like we will ever find her in time anyways, buy the time we know who she is she will only be a shell of her former self." And then Squall felt that familiarity from before, like the one at the library, Squall looked around to see what it could be, and there she was the girl from the library walking up to them with a hand full of freshly cut flowers and an apron, she smiled, and Zell waved at the familiar raven haired girl walking toward them. Zell looked back at Squall. "Must be Selphie's friend, that a coincidence." Squall felt more serious than ever. "Yeah." The girl approached them still smiling. "Hello, I'm Rinoa, may I be of any assistance?"

Hope you liked...! :)


	2. Chapter 2

This chapter is not much, but I think its worth putting as chapter two, I have a habit of not building up the characters of stories I write, so if this seems pointless and long winded then I am sorry, but it is really my first attempt a trying to add a good foundation to this story.

Back In Balamb

Squall Searched through his jacket pockets and the pockets of the pants he had worn the previous day, he retraced his steps, and with every moment he couldn't find his wallet he became increasingly more angry. He couldn't find his wallet and considering he had traveled the day before he had no clue where it could be and that only fueled his frustration. He sighed hanging his head as he picked up the hotel room phone and requested and new key card so he could spend his day filing for lost credit cards, getting a new Drivers License and he wasn't exactly looking forward to going to the Garden to get a new Military ID. But he supposed that's what he gets for getting talked into going on such a frivolous errand yesterday.

(Knock Knock) Squall groaned as he pushed himself off the king size hotel room bed, he had almost fallen asleep in the warmth of the room while waiting for his room key to arrive. He stumbled the door expecting the same tall gawky looking teenager to awkwardly fumble his key card in his hands while handing it to Squall who obviously frightened him just as he did every time he brought anything up to the naturally stern looking Squall Leonhart.

Although whenever he answered the door he did a double take the the confusion that now clouded his mind. There she was the Raven haired girl from the library and the flower shop she was shyly standing before him, her slim arm outstretched before him and it took him a moment to realize that the object in her hand that was practically being shoved into his face was in fact his thick black leather wallet.

He stood there silently for quit some time trying to make sense of the girl being there, was she a good samaritan who simply found his wallet and thought the polite thing to do would be to return it, but then if that was the case why didn't she send it in the mail to the address of the Garden that was located on his Drivers License, because it certainly didn't make sense to come all the way to his hotel room to return it, and then it dawned on him "how did she know I was staying in a hotel?" He wondered if the young girl standing before him was crazy or something, upon looking at her one wouldn't think so, but then again you never know these days.

She tilted her head to the side and smiled ever so slightly, causing Squall's cheeks to turn a light shade of pink. "Well don't you want your wallet back?" Rinoa asked teasingly the reluctant man before her, she could tell her presence threw him through a loop, and so she figured she better explain herself fast, because he seemed like the getting straight down to business type.

He finally reached out and grabbed the object being held out before him, causing her to sigh with relief due to her feeling really quit nervous about his blank and very much so dangerous looking gaze. "Thank you." Was all he said before he began to close the door on the girl who he suspected to be indeed crazy for coming all this way to drop off a wallet to a man she only spoke two sentences to. One apologizing for running into him, and another when she asked if him or Zell needed help, it was zell of course and so they did all the talking and toward the end her grew very bored and went to wait outside, and that was all of the contact he had ever had with this woman standing at his doorway that nobody besides... Zell!

He thought he would ask before he jumped to conclusions about her motives, and about how she knew where he lived. "So how did you know where to find me?" she grinned knowing the meaning behind his question, and it amused her that he would question her motives for coming to return his wallet in person. "Well you see your friend Zell had to give me all of his information when he purchased the flowers at my shop yesterday that way I could have the shipment delivered to him, you see?" Squall cocked a suspicious eyebrow. "And you called him and asked for my information? I see. Although I wonder why you didn't just send my wallet in the mail? Are you going to give me some excuse about you not wanting it to get lost?"

Rinoa was taken aback by his harsh tone, it was not what she was expecting at all and to be honest she was offend since she came all this way to return it. Sure she had an alternative purpose as well, but she probably would have at least called him rather than returning it in the mail. But she had a very good reason for wanting to see him face to face, although she was beginning to think this was a bad idea as he cast a cold look with crossed arms and a puffed out chest in her direction.

He continued after a moment and he only got even more mean and she only got even more angry. "So what is it you thought there was a connection, and so when I dropped my wallet you took the chance to see me again in hopes of testing out that connection? Well I'm sorry to inform you that the look I gave you wasn't because I'm interested, it was because for a moment you seemed familiar. But the moments over and its time to move on, I know I did yesterday, and really so should you."

Now Rinoa was fuming, she had never met someone so harsh and cold in her life, a wave of disappointment and anger moved through her entire being, for she had an idea in her head the whole train ride up here of how this moment was going to go, and this was by far so down on the list that it never even occurred to her that this angry rude man before her was in fact the man she has wanted to meet for years now. And with that tears began to burn the sides of her round dark chocolate colored eyes.

Squall stopped his rant when he realized he had hurt the feelings of a girl who really had gone along was out of her way to return his wallet and it did save him the headache of getting everything replaced, so no matter her reason he truly felt awful for his inexcusable behavior. He just didn't like surprises, and this certainly was a surprise. Even so he figured he owed it to her to listen to her reasoning for coming all this way without him being a world class jerk to her, and so he sighed deeply before muttering a half hearted apology, and asking her what it was that she wanted from him.

"Listen. I'm sorry for the attitude. And I would like to thank you for returning my wallet, but why is it that you came all this way? I mean it seems a little." She interrupted him knowing where his words were going. "Crazy?" She whispered and he stopped and sighed. "Yes." Rinoa kick softly at nothing on the ground trying to find her words, and once found she looked back up into his stormy colored orbs. "I wanted to thank you." She said quickly. Squall was now even more confused. "Thank me... for?" She smiled a faint smile, but it quickly disappeared, and Squall could see the sweetness in her face replaced with seriousness and compilation. "You are Squall Leonhart, you work for Balamb Garden, and you fought and killed the sorceress."

Anger and suspicion arose within the serious brunet, that was not public information as of yet, and so how did this girl know of any of this, who he was or what he had done. "How do you know any of this information?" He hissed. The girl held up a hand and waved it softly as if to say calm down, he merely cocked and eyebrow while crossing his muscular arms while awaiting her answer.

"You see I've known for some time now, pretty much since it happened. I would like to introduce myself, I am Rinoa Heartilly, Daughter of Julia Heartilly and General Caraway." He noticed a sadness in her eyes when she mentioned her mothers name, and he knew exactly why, she was the daughter of the retired General, so of course she could easily come across such information, but even more so he knew why such information would mean this much to her. She sighed as she began to tell him a story that he already knew the ending to. "You see five years ago my mother Julia was suppose to go to dinner with my father, it was a business dinner and therefore it was known to many. They were to leave in the limo together, but as usual my fathers meeting afternoon meeting ran very late, and so he sent my mother on ahead of him. And that is when the car was..." she was innervated by a deep serious voice. "That was when your mother was killed in an assassination attempt against your father, and afterwords forcing him to retire due to the guilt he felt." She hung her head. "Yes. And so you can imagine when I returned to the library yesterday evening and the librarian asked if I knew you because she saw us talking to each other, and whenever I looked at your ID in your wallet I realized who you were, and I just had to meet you."

Squall shifted and leaned against the doorway, it still hurt to stand still for so long, even if it had been almost six months since he faced the sorceress. "I know that you are the General's Daughter, but how did you come across such information, I'm sure he wouldn't just tell you." Rinoa clasped onto a small ring hanging from a chain around her neck, she looked down for a moment, looking back up at him he noticed that she once again had tears threatening to spill over.

"Well you see for many years now I have been waiting for this to happen, of course, and really it became quite an obsession. Finally my father said I was to no longer know information regarding the sorceress, well only information known to the public, so one day in my room I knew there was a meeting going on about a plan that they had come up with, and I wanted to know desperately. I paced back and forth in my room for some time until eventually I exhausted myself and leaned rather hard against the wall in my anger." Rinoa stopped suddenly, not knowing if he really even wanted to hear about all of this.

Squall had to admit that he was somewhat interested in knowing where this girls story was headed, so he made a face as if to give her the go ahead to continue with her story.

She sighed with relief and continued her story. "Well whenever I did that I felt the wall shift, and when I went to examine what had happened I realized that I had discovered a door to a secret passage through my house, and so I went in search of my father's office. I did find the office, and from there in in I listened in on any meeting regarding the progress with the sorceress, and that is how I came to know who you are. That is why when I found out who you were yesterday I wished I would had had the chance to thank you in person then, but then I realized that your wallet would be the perfect excuse to come to Balamb and thank you anyways. She took a breath at her long winded story, and smiled slightly waiting for him to show any sigh he was listening, for he had a blank expression on his face now, that replaced the irritated on from earlier.

Squall was processing what the girl standing nervously before him had just told him, he then pushed himself off of the door frame and walked slowly to the bed sitting and then allowing himself to finally fall back, he could feel the pain tingle through his body from standing in one spot for so long and he put his hand over his face to mask his pain and the weakness he thought pain meant.

Rinoa hesitated in the doorway, she knew better than to just walk into his hotel room while he lay there on the bed, obviously he didn't want to talk. But she wondered why he didn't just tell her to leave, instead he just walked away and left her standing there with the door open, she didn't quite understand.

Rinoa decided that this was probably her cue to leave. And so she turn, throwing one last glance over her shoulder at the person who had finally done what she never thought could be done, he was the one to rid the world of the evil responsible for her beloved mothers death.

He sighed as he heard her walk away and finally spoke the words that she probably wasn't expecting. "Rinoa right?" She stopped and walked back to the doorway, feeling a little bit of hope that he would have more to say. "Um. Yeah uh. I mean Yes, Rinoa. My name is Rinoa." She didn't know why, but his voice calling her name made her nervous, but it did. "Well I am not a hero Rinoa, I have not avenged your mothers death, and I have a feeling things are only doing to get worse from here."


End file.
